2014 Tree Bee a Great Success

120 students gather at the Royal Ontario Museum to test their forestry knowledge at the 2014 Tree Bee

TORONTO, Nov.17, 2014 /CNW/ - This past Saturday, 120 students gathered at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) for the annual Tree Bee, a fun and friendly competition in which students in grades 4-6 test their knowledge of Ontario's native tree species and forests. Over the course of the day, students worked in teams of three to identify native tree species based on images of key features and answer a series of questions on forestry.

Testing was based on a series of learning resources developed by Forests Ontario to assist teachers in bringing forestry into the classroom. Resources included fact-sheets, quizzes, and slideshows designed to guide students in identifying native tree species by features such as bark, leaves, seeds, and buds and develop a basic understanding of forests and forest management.

Tree Bee dates back to 1952, when it was first introduced by the Ontario Forestry Association (OFA) with the goal of encouraging elementary-aged students to appreciate the beauty, diversity, and importance of Ontario's forests. Following the OFA's merger with Trees Ontario in 2014, the newly formed Forests Ontario has carried on the Tree Bee tradition.

"Students have had an incredible enthusiasm for Tree Bee since the very beginning," said Rob Keen, Forests Ontario CEO. "We've had students participate one year and volunteer to coach at their own schools the following year. When students can get excited about our forests, especially at such a young age, we're laying the foundation for a future generation that will value and support the health of our ecosystem."

Dave Ireland, Managing Director of Biodiversity at the ROM, echoed Keen's sentiments. "If we don't teach children to value the world around them early on, they may never start. That's exactly what I love about Tree Bee," Ireland remarked. "The ROM was more than happy to provide the winning teams with ROM memberships as a reward for their efforts and in hopes that students will join us at the ROM and continue nurturing their interest in the natural world."

Forests Ontario would like to extend our gratitude to the ROM for hosting the 2014 Tree Bee and for their generosity in providing museum memberships to the winning Tree Bee team. We also wish to thank Toronto Field Naturalists for their support in making this year's program possible. Finally, Forests Ontario wishes to thank and congratulate all the students who worked hard in the lead-up to the 2014 Tree Bee and brought such high levels of enthusiasm to this year's competition.

About Tree Bee

Tree Bee is part of Forests Ontario's collection of K-12 educational programs and resources Focus on Forests (FOF), comprised of learning resources and programs designed to make forestry part of classroom learning. Resources are developed in collaboration with educators, policy-makers, and forestry professionals. FOF resources are designed to be curriculum-linked, integrating key math, language, and problem-solving skills into exercises that build students' understanding of forests and forest management. Visit focusonforests.ca to learn more.

About Forests Ontario

Forests Ontario was created in 2014 as a result of the merging of not-for-profit organizations Trees Ontario and the Ontario Forestry Association (OFA). Trees Ontario is the forest restoration arm of Forests Ontario. Forests Ontario is committed to the re-greening of Ontario through tree planting efforts on rural lands and in urban areas, as well as the renewal and stewardship of Ontario's forests through restoration, education and awareness. Visit www.forestsontario.ca or follow us @Forests_Ontario.

Image with caption: "Students at the 2014 Tree Bee are awarded the team trophy (CNW Group/Trees Ontario)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141117_C7778_PHOTO_EN_8182.jpg

SOURCE: Trees Ontario

photos or to arrange an interview please contact: Shelley McKay, Director of Communications & Development, 144 Front Street West, Suite 700, Toronto, ON, M5J 2L7, e: [email protected], p: 416-646-1193 ext. 232